1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cartridge loading and unloading apparatus, in which a cartridge accommodating therein a recording media, such as a recording magnetic tape, optical or magnetic disc or the like, is set on a carrier of the apparatus and moved to a loading position or is moved from the loading position to an unloading position. More particularly, this invention relates to a cartridge loading/unloading apparatus comprising an urging means which resiliently urges the carrier toward a stopper at the loading position, to stably retain the carrier at that position.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known apparatus for loading and unloading a tape cartridge comprises a base of the apparatus and a carrier into which the tape cartridge is inserted and set. The base has a pair of vertical side walls each having two substantially L-shaped guide slots. The carrier has side faces each having two pins, which are engaged with these two guide slots respectively, so that the carrier is movable in the horizontal direction while the pins are engaged with horizontal paths of the L-shaped guide slots, and movable in the vertical direction when the pins are engaged with vertical paths of the L-shaped guide slots.
A plate is extended between the above-mentioned pair of pins and is provided, at an intermediate position thereof, with another pin which is engaged with an elongated slot of a pivot arm, which is connected through a coil spring to an output shaft operatively connected to a drive motor via a suitable reduction means.
In the operation of this apparatus, first the carrier is in an upper or unloading position, and a tape cartridge is inserted and set in the horizontal direction into the carrier. When the setting of the cartridge is confirmed by a suitable sensor, the drive motor is rotated and the pivot arm is thus pivotably moved so that the carrier is guided along the vertical paths of the L-shaped guide slots until the carrier is lowered to come into contact with a stopper at a loading position.
Thereafter, the drive motor is rotated for a predetermined number of revolutions, so that the coil spring, via the pivot arm, exerts a resilient force on the carrier to urge the carrier downward against the stopper at the loading position. When the carrier is in the lower or loading position, the drive motor or the reduction means is locked by a suitable stopper to prevent a rotation of the drive motor by a counter-reaction force from the coil spring.
After the necessary information and data has been output from or input to the tape cartridge, the motor is then driven to rotate in the opposite direction, to move the carrier to the unloading position.
The above-mentioned known cartridge loading/unloading apparatus is relatively complicated, since a coil spring for urging the pivot arm toward the loading position, and a stopper for preventing a rotation of the drive motor by a reaction force from the coil spring, are necessary.